The Rotten
by Metatron85
Summary: On summer break, Jade takes Tori to her old hometown of Lakeport for a vacation. But Tori sees signs of an evil force that has been waiting for her girlfriend to return. There will be blood. There will be secrets. But will there be survivors?
1. Chapter 1

"The air feels like it's getting thin up here," Tori leaning against the passenger window, pressing her forehead.

Jade moves her eyes and turns her head slightly to Tori's direction trying to keep her attention on the road. "You Southwesterners, anything higher than sea level and you just snap." She pondered that for a moment. "That might explain the freeway."

"And you live minutes away from me," Tori chides her teasingly.

"For the moment. _This_ is my kind of place."

Tori flows her fingers through Jade's hair. "Why? Because it rains like every day?"

"Two weeks of sunshine a year, baby!"

"Kind of like how Alaska gets one month of night," Tori says turning her attention back to the scenery out her window.

Jade gives Tori a smarmy gaze. "You know you're somewhere special when people only remember the days when it's normal."

The road changes after ascending the mountain. Tall redwoods stretch toward the skyline on both sides, creating an ominous corridor. It felt like an eternity, watching the shrubbery and glimpses of deer before coming across real signs of civilization. Tori was surprised that it even registered on her PearPhone's GPS.

The signs read "LAKEPORT, OR – A Nice Place to Live – Population 5400."

It was like a Christmas landscape minus the snow. The tallest thing was the church steeple. Little shops, restaurants and other businesses lines the main street. Tori could imagine the whole scene strung with bright lights come December. Being from L.A., she was dumbstruck by how pretty this small town seemed.

"What do you think? Home sweet home."

"This is not what I expected," Tori thought out loud. "When I imagined a northwestern town, I assumed…"

"Now, what have a told you about those vampire romance novels?" Jade interrupted in a motherly tone.

Tori exaggerates a sigh and replies in monotone, "They're not real. "

"Good girl," Jade nods.

Tori reaches into the backseat to get the car charger for her phone out of her duffel. When she turns back around in her seat, facing forward she grips door and the back of Jade's seat to brace herself.

"Oh, my God! Jade watch out!"

Tori feels her body jerk forward only to be ripped back by the seatbelt. Jade has her arm on her chest in a protective manner.

The car stopped. "What the hell is wrong with you?" Jade scolded.

"I saw a man, he was walking across the street and…"

Nothing. "What man? Where?"

Tori's jaw drops along with her heart. "He was right _there_. He was about to get hit if we didn't stop soon."

"Tori," Jade began, mildly irritated. "There is nobody there. Don't you think that I'm a competent enough driver that I would see a person."

"You didn't see Sinjin or Robbie."

"Honey, those two times were intentional," Jade half smiles. Tori gives her a look. "They pissed me off."

"But…"

"Tori," Jade cuts her off. "Just relax. We have been in this car for eight hours. You're just tired. You're seeing things."

Tori relaxes in her chair, adjusting her seatbelt which tightened considerably. Jade puts the car back in drive and they resume their ride. Tori takes a look behind through the rear windshield. She saw the same man, this time standing on the side of the road. He stares at her. She holds her head in her hands.

"It's gotta be the altitude," she thought to herself.


	2. Chapter 2

They pull up to a small motel a little bit out of town. Tori gets the luggage together while Jade checks them in. She walks back to the car, twirling the room key.

"Number 5."

Tori snaps out of her thoughts. "What? Oh."

"You with me, Vega?"

"Yeah, just feeling my legs again."

"Oh, good. Now get walking. Ours is way over there," Jade pointing about 30 yards past the main office.

The door for cabin #5 bursts open, both girls carrying their weight in suitcases and bags. They drop them with a loud thud.

"Made it," Tori says exhausted.

"Thank you, Catherine Obvious," Jade sneers.

Tori gives her fellow traveler a one finger salute to her humor.

"Maybe later, if you're nice." Jade picks up her smallest but heaviest suitcase and plops it on the bed.

Tori makes her way to the other side with her duffel. She starts digging for her phone charger. "This is a pretty nice place. Can't wait to see around the town. It looks… " She stopped when she looks up at Jade.

She's just standing there, looking out the window. There's a sadness to her face. Nothing like she had ever seen on Jade.

"Jade," Tori's voice was soft, concerned. "Are you okay?"

Without saying a word she runs out the open door. Tori stands there confused for about two seconds before running after her.

"Jade! Jade! Baby, wait! Stop!" Tori's words struggling past the huffing.

It must have been a quarter of a mile before Tori was able to start slowing down. Jade stood mere feet from the edge of a cliff overlooking the woods. Tori finally gets beside Jade. She hunches over, putting her hands on her shins fatigued.

"Jade…" she could barely catch her breath. "What's gotten into you?"

Still not a word from the Goth.

Tori looks up after her heart starts beating normally again. She has that melancholy expression, this time with tears welling up in her blue-green diamonds.

"Jade?"

Jade sniffs and the water is released from their prison and stream down her pale cheeks. "I'm sorry," she choked. "For running away like that."

"Sweetheart, what's wrong?" Tori holds Jade's shoulders and continues to embrace her even as she collapses to the ground.

"It was here," she began. "Right here."

"What?" Tori was on the verge of tears herself.

"My brother." Her tears flowed even more intense than before. "This is where he died."

Tori's eyes widen. "What? But I thought…"

"That was my stepbrother when my dad remarried." Jade paused for the pain to pass. "I never told you about Brian."

"Tell me now. I'm here."

Jade stares at the point where the ground ends before her. "He was playing with his friend. I'll never forget it. I was 10. He was were playing and they made it to over here. My mom warned us so many times to stay away but that day…he just went over the side."

Tori couldn't believe what she was hearing. Jade never mentioned anything about her past besides the name of the town. And here they were. Little did she know that this quiet community harbored a terrible secret for her girlfriend. Tori felt so bad that there was nothing she could do. All she could do was be there. She hoped it would be enough.

"My mom took it the hardest. She couldn't even look at me. I overheard that when she saw my face she saw Brian's. They thought that moving to L.A. would fix everything. It didn't. They divorced right before I enrolled at Hollywood Arts."

"You still think about him?"

Jade looks at her, surprised at the question. "Someone has to. He deserved better than to be forgotten."

Tori makes an apologetic face.

"Tori, you were the happiest thing that's happened in my life. I always wanted to come back here but was afraid to."

Jade, _afraid_? The thought didn't compute in Tori's head.

"So many bad memories from here. I thought that you were enough to help me make some good memories for a change. Happy thoughts about Lakeport that I could take with me."

Tori frames Jade's face with her hands. "We will." She thinks for a moment and smiles. "I'll try my best."


	3. Chapter 3

The sun set on the idyllic town, the trees becoming silhouettes. Jade and Tori get out of the car in front of a small Italian restaurant named Paolo's. The interior was warm and inviting. Not very many people, though.

Jade approaches the greeter. "Table for two."

The college-age boy looks up, surprised at seeing people. And not bad looking either. "Wow, okay, uh, I can seat you immediately."

Tori looks behind them at all the empty chairs. "Sure about that?"

"I know, it's kind of dead for a Friday night." The boy seemed shameful of the poor turnout.

"This is slow for a Tuesday morning," Jade quips. "What gives? I mean, I remember coming here all the time and…"

"Oh," he interrupts. "You live here?"

"Used to," Jade clearly not in the mood for a biographer.

"Okay, well welcome back and let me show you ladies to your table." He grabs two menus and fingers a wine list. "21?" Tori waves her hand and he escorts them with just the two menus.

He seats them at one of the half dozen booths along a wall adorned to look like an old Tuscan building complete with vines and fake windows.

"Is this fine?"

"It's perfect," Tori says.

"Good. Well, my name is Vince and it looks we are short-staffed so I'll be your waiter."

"What, do you cook the food by yourself, too?"

"Jade," Tori snaps.

Vince puts his hand on the back of his neck. "It's okay. We have just been like this for a time." Realizing where that conversation could be heading, he quickly adds, "Oh, it's not the food. It's outstanding. Our chef is from the peninsula so he knows his stuff. "

Tori seems genuinely concerned at the flailing business. "Then, what is it?"

"See, we're a family kind of place. People coming in with their kids and grandkids they were our bread and butter. But, ever since that curfew it's been like this for months. I must say, you two are by far the youngest patrons by about ten years that has come through that door in a time."

"Curfew, what curfew?" Jade was confused.

The young waiter took a moment. "There was a child they found in the forest just on the other side of the train tracks. Cops say that the maniac from a few years ago, who only goes after kids, might still be back."

Tor and Jade share a deeply concerned look.

"And so," Vince continued. "The mayor declared a state of emergency and to have all children report to their homes before dark and any child seen walking on their own is to be taken back to their parents. Sorry to bother you with all this bad news but it's probably best you heard about it before you ran into anyone else. Everyone is very worried here."

An hour passes by and Jade couldn't begin to eat her half of the giant slice of Tiramisu for dessert.

"Ugh," she groans loudly. "I can't do it. That's it for me."

"Me too," Tori dropping her fork in defeat.

Vince returns with a smile. "So, how was everything?"

"Good," Jade sighed, holding her stomach. "Now roll me out of here."

"That's a very typical compliment," he laughs. "Is it going to be cash or card?"

"Cash," Tori answers.

"Then I will leave you to it. In case I don't see ya, have a wonderful evening." Vince pivots like a soldier and walks away.

"Hey, Tor" Jade started. "I think he likes you."

"Too bad. Not my type."

Jade gasps teasingly. "No. What could it be?"

Tori is pleased to see the old sarcastic Jade resurface. They grabs their bags and proceed toward the door.

"Jade, go right ahead. I forgot to leave the tip."

Jade shrugs and exits.

Tori goes to Vince who is sitting at one of the empty table on the other side of the dining room. "Vince?"

He looks up. "Yes?"

"I had a question. I couldn't stop thinking about that killer you mentioned earlier. I guess I'm a little nervous and would like to know more about it."

Vince tilts his chair until he is only on two legs. "Well, they don't have any leads on what this creep looks like. The only thing I can suggest is you two don't leave each other's side."

Tori nods. "Exactly how many did he…" Tori couldn't finish the sentence; the thought of an innocent child lying lifeless in a ditch only for her parents, or worse to be told of later by police, was too macabre a scene.

Vince understood what she was asking. "Four. This new one. Two a couple weeks ago. And one from about eight years ago."

"Why so long?"

"Well, see that's how the police figure it's not a copycat or just a second lone nut. It's spaced out enough so that one man could easily have done it."

"Do you know anything about that first one, from years ago?"

Vince takes a deep breath. "How could I forget? It was West."

"West of here?"

He shakes his head. "No, no, West was the name of the boy. Brian West."


	4. Chapter 4

Jennifer Smith locks up the front doors to Virgil's Used Books. She takes the register envelope and puts in the safe underneath the counter. A crack sound makes her jump. Coming from the backroom.

Opening the door, Jennifer pulls the chain on the bare light bulb dangling from the ceiling. Modest light falls on stacks and stacks of paperbacks; further back where the light begins to fade are the first editions. Her pediment is upset with what looks like the source of the disturbance: a fallen broom.

She picks up the broom and leans it against the wall. A loud creaking emanates from behind her. She turns around and to her horror finds one of the tall bookshelves closing in on her. She dodges out of the way just in time. Suddenly, the one next to it begins to tip. Jen doesn't think and just runs for it, the entire corridor of literature collapsing around her until she makes it to the door.

Jen sits with her left hand still gripping the knob. She had no idea what happened in there. Lakeport hasn't had an earthquake since that massive tsunami in the Pacific managed to create tremors reaching as far as Washington.

Her recollection of that disaster gets shaken by a commotion going on behind that door leading to where she was almost crushed to death. There were sounds that she couldn't understand but like a strange smell it didn't give off a good vibe. Jen turns to the doors. Locked. She feels around for the keys. She must have dropped them when she ducked in the storeroom. Running over to the backdoor, she finds that it's also locked.

Jen runs over to the window, panic rising in her blood. She tries to slide it open but its stuck.

"Help, I can't get out!" she screams, banging on the window. Nobody outside for blocks. Normal for this part of town at 10 pm.

Her cries and assaults on the pane get more and more desperate as the noise behind the door grows louder and louder. Out of the darkness, her whole body is violently gripped and elevated from the floor. Jennifer Smith stares into the eyes of the thing that would kill her. With brute force, the skin of her now exposed lower torso is ripped open. Red seeps out like a waterfall.

She is then tossed through the window, with only her head facing the outside. Jennifer died right there, laying in the position of someone killed at the guillotine. But even an execution would have been more merciful.


	5. Chapter 5

Jade takes out a cigarette from her jacket pocket and puts it in her mouth.

"Jade!" Tori scolded.

Jade speaks out of the corner of her mouth, the drag flapping with each word. "Relax, it's not lit. I carry it around and I don't know it helps me think."

"Oh, so you didn't smoke before?"

Jade takes out the cig. "No, I tried it once. I puked."

Tori smiled at the thought of a middle school Jade trying to act mature and getting sick.

"Tori, you kind of took a while. Back at the restaurant." Jade stops walking.

Tori looks guilty. "Uh, nothing. I just…Why didn't you tell me?"

Jade swivels her head to one side. "Tell you what?"

"About your brother."

"I did tell you…"

"You didn't tell me that he was murdered," Tori interrupts.

Jade looked angry at Tori and then her features soften. "I, I try not to think about that."

"Jade, is it the same…"

"I know it's the same monster," Jade snaps. "I can feel it."

Sirens blaring in the distance get more intense as they draw closer. Four squad cars pass the two pedestrians.

"What's going on?" Tori asks concerned.

"Not good," Jade replies.

Tori and Jade run toward the direction of the bright reds and blues. They are kept back along with dozens of other people by yellow police tape. Jade looks over the shoulders of the EMT's lifting the body from the store window.

"Holy shit!" Jade exclaims.

Tori was caught off guard by the reaction, however appropriate. "What?"

"I know her. I mean, I was in that store earlier. Remember when you went to the salon?"

Tori nods.

"Well, I was talking with the register girl about some books and there she is," Jade gestures toward the white sheet on the stretcher.

"Gotta say, Jade" Tori gulped. "We sure picked a good time to come here."

It's almost midnight when they finally get back to the motel. Tori plops on the bed, her feet aching from the extra walking. Jade just stands at the window. She slowly pulls the curtains closed.

"What's wrong?" Tori asks taking off her boots.

Jade sighs, folding her arms. "Maybe it was a mistake coming here. I felt like I could evolve past what happened. Now I just feel like all of it was waiting for me. I mean that girl, I talked to her hours ago."

"it doesn't make sense. She wasn't even a child, like Brian was." Tori comes up behind her.

"That's just my point. Something else is going on here. I'm scared, Tori." She can feel her girlfriend wrap her arms around her and hold tightly.

"I'm scared too."

Jade turns, glassy-eyed to Tori and the two lean in and kiss gently on the mouth. Tori gives Jade smaller, softer kisses around her face. Jade retorts with tackling her onto the bed and making out with her. Their tongues message one another, a warm reminder of how they complement each other.

The doom and gloom they both shared today began to fade for a while. Their bodies affectionately and unabashedly explored their lust. But it was more than that. Their ecstasy was so great it felt as though they would merge into a beam of white light.

Tori is frightened awake with the sound of a pounding on the door. She shakes Jade awake but she is in too deep a sleep. "Just a second," she yells, scrambling for something decent enough t answer the door. Once she has what clothes she could muster, she opens the door.

Two plain clothes cops with ID's presented stand before Tori. "Oh, officers. Sorry. What can I do for you?" Her voice cracking from just waking up doesn't help appearances.

"Our apologies for disturbing you, Miss. My name is Detective Roland. This is my partner Detective Purcell. Are you Jadelyn West?"

Tori is conflicted about the next thing she says. "Um…"

"I am." Jade startles Tori from behind. The two cops present their credentials again. "I'm Jade West. Who wants to know?"

"We are with the Lakeport Police Department," Det. Purcell began. "We would like to ask you some questions."

Jade furrows her eyebrows. "And?"

"We would like for you to come with us for the questioning," added. Det. Roland.

Tori looks worriedly at Jade whose arms fold in a defiant manner.

"And what's this about?" Jade's tone seemed to regard the dicks with contempt.

"Well, Miss West, we are investigating a recent homicides and we are interviewing people we believe to be suspicious."

Jade raises her head in a half-nod and squints her eyes at Det. Roland. "And you think I would know…"

"What he means," Purcell interjects. "Is that this murder from the night before. Are you aware of the killing at Virgil's Used Books?" Tori and Jade share a look. "We'll just take that as a yes."

Det. Roland steps one foot into the room. Jade is disturbed by the violation of her and Tori's sacred place. "We discovered that you have returned to town for the first time in eight years and…"

"So, how is that _your_ business?" Jade's anger was rising. Tori grips her arm and mouths her to stop.

"So," Roland continued. "You also happened to be one of the last if not the last person to see Mrs. Smith before she died."

"We are just checking all possible leads," Purcell attempting to extend the olive branch and avoid a scene. "You must see it from our end Miss West. There are too many flags raised about this case that seem to point to you."

"We won't cuff you," Roland adds. "But you do need to be escorted by us. Remember this is questioning, not an arrest. Unless you resist, then it can be."

Jade doesn't take kindly to threats, especially from the giant strip of morning bacon standing practically nose to nose with her. She finds her composure and turns to Tori.

"Babe, get your car. This could take a while."


	6. Chapter 6

Tori sits outside the interrogation area that houses 2 rooms. She stares down the corridor, not sure which one they had Jade is in. This was the most alone she felt since coming to this town. The only person she knows is gone and out of sight. Tori bites her lip at the thought of Jade in there. She knew she could handle herself and that she wasn't guilty of anything. But she might get locked up for assaulting the officers. And then what?

"You know Jade?" Tori looked to the other side and saw a young woman about her age.

Tori swallowed. "Who are you?"

"Rose Mailer," the smiling stranger extends her hand. Tori reluctantly accepts it. "I'm an old friend of Jade's."

"Oh, okay" Tori nods. "How did you know she was here?"

"I was coming in from a police ride along and I overheard Jade's name. You were asking about her at the front desk." She leans in closer to Tori. "Is it true she's in interrogation?"

Tori nods, looking away from Rose.

"Well, they're barking up the wrong tree. She would never hurt anyone."

Tori and Rose both consider this.

"She wouldn't _kill_ anybody," Rose corrects herself.

Tori looks back at Rose. "How do you know…?"

"When I was in the squad car, that's all the two cops were talking about." Rose leans back against the wall. "Nothing happens around here."

Jade sips a paper cup of water. She preferred it be cold.

Det. Roland paces behind Det. Purcell, who is seated across from Jade.

"Miss West; um, would it be okay if I called you Jadelyn?"

The full pronunciation of her name always made her experience a sour taste, but she grits her teeth and tries to end this torture as soon as possible. "Jade, if you don't mind."

"Well Jade," Purcell continues. "We have been through every facet of your evening yesterday."

Roland lens against the corner of the room, arms folded glowering at Jade.

"Tori Vega can vouch for my whereabouts," Jade's voice gets more irritated.

Purcell sighs. "Yes. We will be getting her official statement momentarily." He flips through some papers of his notes. "There's just one detail. Why exactly did you decide to return to Lakeport after all these years?"

Jade was caught off guard with such a personal question. Even more so than when she had to tell them that the last thing the night before her and Tori were intimate. Jade refused to elaborate.

"If I tell you, you're going to think it's so stupid, I must be lying." Jade folds her arms.

"Try us," Roland breaking his sabbatical.

"The last time I was here, things were…really fucked up. I guess I just wanted to prove to myself that the wicked has gone away. That if I saw this place move on, then I could move on and look to the future." Jade clears her throat and stares at the cops. "See, it's hard for me to put into words…"

Purcell's phone rings and he answers it. "Excuse me. Purcell."

Roland looks on at his partner. "Really? Yes. Okay, thanks." Purcell hangs up and takes a big sigh.

Jade looks at Roland who is still eyeing Purcell.

"Miss West, will you stand up?"

Roland and Jade both look confused.

"Miss West, you are under arrest for the murder of Jennifer Smith," Purcell coldly stated. He turns to his partner. "Cuff her."

Roland goes behind Jade and grabs her wrists. He binds them in the cold steel as harshly as possible. Jade winces at the pain. Roland grins.

Purcell looks at Jade with a grim expression. "They found a knife at the scene. Victim's blood. Your prints."

Jade's eyes widen. "No. No, that's wrong!"

"You hid it well, but we still found it. Matched the fingerprints to your record in the database."

Jade cursed herself for that breaking and entering two years ago at the mall. They only processed her; she was bailed out that night.

"Justice," Roland whispers in her ear.

They three of them exit, Jade in between the two tall men. Tori rises in a panic when she sees that she's in handcuffs. "Jade, what they do? What's going on?"

"Ma'am," Purcell waving his hand. "Please don't touch her. She's is custody."

"Where are you taking her?"

"County until her trial."

"But you can't!"

Jade looks at her in the eyes. "Tori, stop. Don't get yourself in trouble, too."

"You can't, " Tori pleads to the cops. "She didn't do _anything_!"

They walk away with Jade looking as far behind her as she can. "Tori!"

"Jade, I'll call my dad. We'll fix this."

Rose comes up behind the distraught Tori who has collapsed to the floor sobbing. "Are you okay?"

"This isn't right," Tri says through the tears. "She's innocent!"

"Tori, Tori, I believe you. She couldn't have done it." Rose helps Tori to her feet. "Come on. Let's go get some evidence."

"What?"

"If they jump on Jade, then the cops are going to stop investigating."

"I don't know where to begin looking. I'm not from around here."

"Calm down. I know the area. Let's go."


	7. Chapter 7

Tori starts the car and Rose points ahead. "Take that road to the left."

She follows the directions and the police station begins to fade in the distance.

"What now?" Tori asked wistfully but focused.

"There will be a fork about a mile further. Just veer to the right."

"Thank you," Tori begins. "For helping me."

Rose smiles at her. "Happy to help. Any friend of Jade's is okay with me."

"Um, we're actually a little more than friends. You might say she is my…girlfriend." Tori struggled with that last word.

Rose looks ahead, stunned. "I see. Interesting,"

Tori glances at her, embarrassed.

"Sorry, Tori, that…kind of…thing…is not exactly common here."

"I understand," she puts her attention back to the road.

"You must feel really weird to be out of the big city."

Tori shrugs. "It's a change. This town's nice though."

"Well, that's nice of you to say."

"So, where are we going? I was so busy following the car that took Jade…"

"Not far now. We're heading to my house first. I have a camera and some supplies."

"Do you know what you're doing?"

Rose smiles at Tori. "Of course, I do. Remember when I said I was on that police ride along? Well, I am a freshman in college and hoping to become a forensics examiner. You know, just like CSI. Well, that will help my Criminal Justice grade."

Tori nods.

"Yeah, I got gloves, baggies, swabs." Rose giggles to herself. "Would you believe that I was able to track down who took my bike at 11?"

"Wow, that's amazing."

"Don't worry Tori, I know my stuff. We can sneak back into the bookstore and get the evidence to clear Jade."

Tori sighs. "I sure hope so."

* * *

Jade leans against the bars, trying to push her face as much as she can through. "Hey, Barney Fife!"

The burly guard at the end of the hall of cells just looks up with a grimace and goes back to his magazine.

"Yeah, not gonna work. I want my phone call!"

"And I want some peace and quiet," the guard looks back up at her. "Guess neither of us gonna get what we want."

Jade rolls her eyes, thinks for a moment and smiles devilishly. "Look, buddy they didn't give me my one call at the station. Don't think my lawyer's gonna like you getting in the way of my rights."

The guard puts down his magazine and stands up. "If I say yes, will you be quiet the rest of the day?"

"I promise nothing," Jade sneers.

The guard sighs and walks over to Jade's cell and begins to unlock it. "Assume the position."

Jade moseys over the to the far wall and faces it with her hands up. He unlocks the bars and quickly cuffs her hands one by one. The both turn around in one swift motion. They begin walking out of the cell block.

* * *

Rose leads Tori to her house. They pull into the driveway. There's a blue minivan parked in the driveway as well.

They get out of the car. "Your parents home?" asks Tori pointing to the SUV.

"Nah, they're on vacation. I dropped them off at the airport. This way."

They walk up to the house and Rose lets them in.

The house is dimly lit. The daylight was waning.

"It's getting dark," Tori said concerned.

"I know," Rose said. "But if we're gonna be able to get past the cops we have to wait after dark."

"Rose, where is your bathroom?"

"Oh, uh, go down that hallway and through the door. It's right on the left. Don't go in the basement. The step is broken."

Tori nods and starts toward the bathroom.

She feels around the wall inside the bathroom to find the light. _Maybe one of these is it_, she thinks. Tori flips a switch on the wall in front of her. The bathroom light doesn't go on but the basement light does.

Tori peers down the stairs. The steps looked alright from what she could see. Her curiosity consumes her as she starts down the steps. She feels the wall for another switch for more light. This bulb's reach ends where the stairs do.

_Good_, she finds a switch and flips it. The den illuminates to reveal an older couple on a couch slumped over one another, covered in blood. In front of them is a wet axe on the coffee table.

Tori then gets overwhelmed with a harsh pain to the back of her head. Before blacking out she heard Rose's voice. "You weren't supposed to see that."


	8. Chapter 8

"Tori? Tori?" Jade gripped the handle of the phone till she thought it was going to break in her hand. "Tori, answer me!" She hangs up the phone slowly. She then looks around and doesn't see anybody around. Quickly, she dials another number.

A familiar voice answers, "Vega Residence."

Jade almost choked at her good fortune. "Mr. Vega, is that you?"

There was a short pause. "Jade? What number is this? Where are you calling from?"

"Lakeport Jail, "Jade sighs.

Another pause to let that sink in. "Jade, explain. Where's Tori?"

"I think she's in trouble. She isn't answering her phone."

"Yeah, that doesn't sound like Tori."

Jade's tone gets more anxious and primal. "Mr. Vega, I know that we've haven't gotten off to the right start but if there is a common ground we can find is that our love for Tori. You're the only one I can trust to care enough and who can do something."

Mr. Vega doesn't know what to say to that last comment. "Okay, Jade. Start with what are you doing in jail?"

"They think I killed someone."

"Did you?" he whispers.

"No!" Jade shouted, almost drawing too much attention to herself. She lowers her voice, "I can't explain it but somebody's setting me up."

Jade can hear Mr. Vega getting a pen and paper. "Okay, I'll make some calls and be on my way. Just hang in there. We'll find Tori."

The line goes dead. Jade reluctantly hangs up the receiver. She sinks down to the floor in the fetal position, weeping. It would be another minute or so before the guard finds her and takes her back to the cell.

* * *

Jade wakes up violently from her slumber with the sound of the bars opening. "Hey, West" she could hear adjusting her eyes to the fluorescents. "You got a bunkmate."

The guard lets in a sandy-haired girl shaking. Jade doesn't move from her bed. Her stoic stance is a common greeting toward strangers.

The door to the cell slams shut. The newcomer walks over to Jade. "Hi."

"Hey," Jade being generous considering the circumstances.

"My name is Ronnie. What's your name?"

"Jade."

"How long they kept you in here?"

"One long day."

"What they put you in here for?"

"Murder. First degree. Maybe they'll let me off easy since it's my first."

Ronnie takes two steps back.

"Relax, blonde squad. I didn't do it." Jade turns over, her back toward Ronnie. "You know what? Forget it. I don't give a damn if you believe me or not."

Ronnie walks slowly over to the cot on the other side of the cell. She gets under the covers and lays on her side, facing Jade.

Shrill screams snap Jade out of her sleep. From a few feet away she saw a tall, dark figure pinning Ronnie against the wall. She screams in horrible pain. Jade is paralyzed but manages to scream at the grisly scene. The hands (or more like claws) of this beast holds Ronnie by her head and squeezes it until blood spouts from the top of her head and her screams cease.

Jade is the only one screaming for her life now. The thing approaches her. It's face is hideous. Pale with dark eyes. It was like a demon from a nightmare. But she's wide awake now. The creature hesitates and glides across the floor passing through the cell wall.

When it disappears, Jade could make out something scrawled in blood on the very spot on the wall it passed through. It wasn't there until _it_ left.

It said: YOUR BITCH IS NEXT.

The guards come across the murderer with her badly mutilated cellmate. Jade's case is not looking any better.


	9. Chapter 9

Tori's mouth was dry, her tongue sticking to the roof of her mouth. She had never been more thirsty since that time in Beck's RV. _How long have I been out? What time is it?_

Once Tori's eyes focus, she sees the massacred man and woman once again. It was then she recognized the man as the same one from the street that Jade almost hit. Was he dead all this time? Did she see a ghost?

Suddenly, lukewarm water is poured over Tori's mouth. Her mouth is moistened and she chokes down a couple gulps but is forced to spit out the rest for fear of drowning. The pain then sets in, not just her head but below. Her hands and feet were tightly bound with white nylon rope. Rose ambles into Tori's vision, holding an empty water bottle.

"You looked thirsty." Rose tosses the bottle. "I guess I would be too after six hours."

Tori squinted her eyes at her captor. "Six?" she labored.

"Yeah," she smiles big. "Almost didn't think you'd ever wake up. See, I could never do it hard enough to inflict permanent damage. I suppose everybody has their flaws."

Interesting choice of words from a lunatic. "What have you done?" Tori's voice getting less raspy.

"Bringing a chapter to a close, Tori." Rose takes a bayonet out of her back pocket. "I guess I haven't been completely honest with you. See, I've always hated Jade. She made my life miserable in school, teasing me about my clothes and hair. I could live with that but when she humiliated me in front of the whole school by pushing me into the mud, she crossed the line."

Tori was terrified beyond comprehension but she had no choice but to listen to this madwoman.

"I knew how to get her back though. If there was one thing she loved more than anything in the world it was that brother of hers."

A huge knot began to twist in Tori's stomach. Had she the contents, she would have thrown it all up right then and there.

"Wasn't hard. He was only six for God's sake. I gotta say," Rose breathed in deeply, savoring the moment. "You haven't seen shit until you've seen someone falling to their death. You know with the height and the ground below that you have no chance. I often wondered what went through his head. Maybe he cried for his mommy. I like to think that maybe he really cried for his big sister to try and save him."

Tori wiggled as much as she could to vainly attack Rose but she doesn't move. Because Tori is far from a threat right now.

Rose leans in close to Tori's face. "But little did I know that it was only the beginning. I didn't realize how much of a taste I could get for the blood of children. I saw their faces and it just wanted me to snuff them out even more. Yeah, there were 3 more kids dead but that was just the ones they found. What about the many who just disappeared?"

Tori was disgusted with how coldly someone could say such a horrendous thing.

"But then, Jade left and apparently made quite a life for herself. New town, new school, new friends and even a lover to call her own." It sounded so filthy and sinister coming from her. "When she finally returned, I saw my chance."

"Chance for what?" Tori asked.

Rose looks disappointedly at her. "To seal my revenge for good. So I watched her and paid close attention to those she interacted with. It was then it all started. Now she is sitting in lockup for four horrific murders."

"Four?"

"Yes, the bookstore girl, my folks here and a new cellmate for Jade." Rose scratches her temple. "At least she used to be."

"You planted that evidence…" Tori winced.

"Well done, little girl. I already told you, I know my stuff when it comes to forensics." Rose positions the bayonet over Tori's shirt buttons, snapping them off one by one. "But what you didn't know was that I also have a passion for autopsies."

Rose grazes the blade along Tori's stomach, drawing a thin stream of blood. Tori winces from the pain. "How did you kill the other girl in jail?"

"Back when I was really little, I had an imaginary friend. When I got older and saw it resembled a man who died decades ago, I knew right away that it wasn't just my imagination."

Rose tucks away the bayonet back in her pocket. She clasps her hands together. "But I couldn't kill those people. People knew I didn't like Jade so naturally the cops would search me. That's what almost got me in trouble eight years ago when I got her brother." She smirks. "Luckily, my dear parents stepped in and refused to let the officers search further. They really should have kept looking."

She begins to pace around the room, Tori tracking her with her eyes. "So, I learned an incantation from an old nineteenth century book of demonic spells." Rose turns to Tori. "The occult also fascinated me. Now my real friend was not only back in the picture but here to do my good work. So all those people would die and meanwhile I had the airtight alibi. You know what is more delicious than getting away with murder? Framing your enemies."

"Are you gonna kill her?" Tori sounding annoyed.

"No. Not yet, anyway. See I want to drive her crazy first." Rose takes out the bayonet again, brandishing it toward Tori. "You know what she is probably doing right now?"

Tori shakes her head, agitated and throbbing with both pain and hatred.

"Worried sick because I sent her a message that you would be the next to die and she would know that it is all her fault." She kneels beside Tori so they are close to eye level. "The happiest thing in her life, snuffed out once again. And then when she can't sink any lower, I will witness her getting the lethal injection."

Rose straddles Tori, making her even less able to move. "And when all is complete, I can get back to the fun…and the children…"

A loud bang rings Tori's ears. Rose slumps over Tori's body, bleeding on her. Rose moans while holding her shoulder, dropping the knife.

"Tori," she heard shouted.

Her eyes began to water with relief. "Dad?"

Mr. Vega runs over to his youngest and pushes over Rose onto the floor. He takes his Swiss Army knife and cuts the ropes.

"Dad, Dad, look out!"

Mr. Vega turns around and grabs Rose who was behind his back and flips her, breaking the coffee table. That knocked her out cold. He gets out his handcuffs and restrains her. Tori is able to finish freeing herself after the first few cuts.

"How did you find me?"

Tori's dad gripped her shoulders to keep her from shaking. "Jade called me. I was able to trace your cell for about a second before it turned off."

Tori's eyes widen. "Jade? She's okay?"

"She's fine but we have to hurry."


	10. Chapter 10

Languishing in solitary confinement. Don't know for how long. That was the worst part. Jade stared at the ceiling, her mind racing.

She couldn't begin to understand what that thing was the other night. But after seeing what it did to Ronnie, she knew Tori didn't stand a chance.

Jade has been strong her whole life, even when Brian died and she was only 10. She has endured the pressure around her and tried to wake up the next morning. Even when she knew the day was going to suck. Before Tori came into her life, she didn't have a reason to live. Now she regrets having ever fallen in love with the Latina because the pain hurts so much.

For the first time in her life, she was considering crawling into a deep darkness and dying. She would rather not feel anything ever again than to dwell on the fear and remorse of what has become of Tori.

The loud clunk click of the lock wasn't enough to distract her from her worrying.

The guard comes in and lets the light in for the first time in hours. Jade's dilating pupils was too much to ignore.

"West," called the low voice.

Jade rubs her eyes, trying to face his direction.

"Get up. You need to come with me."

* * *

Tori sat in one of the interrogation rooms, nursing a steamy cup of tea. Her father sits beside her, arms around her shoulder holding a blanket over her, keeping Tori warm. The door opens and Mr. Vega instinctively backs away from his daughter.

"Jade!"

"Tori!"

They hug tighter than they ever have before.

Tori strokes under Jade's eyes with her thumbs. "You haven't slept have you?"

"How could I?" Jade looks up and down at Tori. "What the hell happened to you?"

"It's okay," Tori lifted her shirt showing the scar from the knife. "All things considered, I was very lucky."

Jade looks to the side of Tori and makes eye contact with Mr. Vega. She walks toward him and hugs him hard enough to partially knock the wind out of him. He pats her hair like she was a third daughter.

"I don't know how to ever thank you," Jade began.

"I'm the one who should be thanking you," Mr. Vega cuts her off. "If you hadn't called…" He refused to entertain that possibility. "What's important is you're both safe."

Jade looked a little confused. "What about…"

"It's all taken care of. Rose Mailer was the one who did it. She confessed to Tori and there was evidence all over her house."

Now Jade was really thrown. "Rose? Rose Mailer? Jesus Christ."

Mr. Vega sighs. "There's more. I don't know how to tell you this but she also confessed to…your brother."

Jade didn't know if she wanted to cry or break her face. "Why?"

Tori grabs her father's arm, stopping him. "She's bat-shit crazy. Trust me." Her eyes met her dad's. He understood what she was doing. If Jade knew that she was Rose's motivation; that she unconsciously cased her brother's death, it would destroy her.

"But Ronnie. How did she kill her? That definitely wasn't her the night before."

"No idea," a familiar asshole said matter-of-factly in the doorway. Det. Roland strolls in carrying a file folder. Jade regards the man with hostility. "We had gone through the body and the cell with a fine-toothed comb. There was nothing consistent with her killing that girl. Besides, whatever did it had a lot of strength. And no offense, Miss West, but you don't strikes me as someone who can lift a full-size person while crushing their skull in."

Jade glared at Roland even though she couldn't fault that logic.

"So," Roland continued. "With examiners pointed in the right direction, the case against Miss Mailer has been building with momentum." He throws the folder on the table toward Jade. "You're free to go."

"Make sure she gets the maximum," Mr. Vega tells his fellow cop.

"Don't worry. Jennifer Smith was my fiancée. I'll make sure this rotten excuse for human life pays."

Jade relaxed a little inside. She understood his rage now.

* * *

Rose was uncompromisingly strapped to the bed at the psychiatric hospital. She looked at the window in her tiny room, grinning a dopey grin that of a child.

A shadow grows from the window, extending across the floor. The apparition solidifies and turns to Rose.

"We'll get them together. But you need to let me out first." Rose's smile did not falter.

When police finally arrived at the scene, they would see only dead guards and open doors.


	11. Chapter 11

Mr. Vega's red SUV charges down the lonely road. Tori and Jade keep each other company in the backseat.

The car skids slightly on a hairpin turn. It had recently stopped raining, like every day in Lakeport.

"Dad, slow down!" Tori protests.

"Sorry, girls, I'll try to take it easy. Just want to get you back to the motel. This place gives me the creeps." He glances back at Jade. "Uh, no offense."

"It's cool," Jade smirks still looking at Tori.

Tori can't help but notice the eyes on her. "What? Why are you looking at me like that?"

Jade blinks her eyes smitten at Tori's uncomfortable demeanor. "No reason."

"Well," Mr. Vega trying to change the subject. "Are you two hungry? Maybe we can something fast…"

"Dad, look out!"

A yellow sign warning of a sharp curve ahead is not seen in time for Mr. Vega to act and the car hydroplanes, spinning wildly until it gets off the road. The only pediment to the auto's trajectory is a 100-year-old arbor that shakes when it's slammed into.

The airbags have deployed. Thankfully Tori and Jade both have worn their seatbelts but Mr. Vega is unconscious.

"Dad, dad!" Tori is shaking his shoulders.

"Tori, stop! Don't try to move him. He might have a concussion," Jade points to the trickle of blood on his head.

They both get out of the SUV and look around. "What road is this?" Tori asks.

"Um, Route 12."

Tori takes out her phone. "Okay, I'll call for help." She then holds the phone high above her head and starts pacing around.

"No bars?"

Tori sighs. "One. But it ain't enough to get through."

Jade's tone gets very monotone. "Tori, Tori, Tori."

The barrage of her name being called grabs her attention and Tori turns around to see what Jade is looking at.

Rose stands above their vantage point, where the road's edge is. She waves at them menacingly. "Hello, ladies." She lifts her grey shirt from the mental hospital to reveal a gun in her pants.

"Tori," Jade has never sounded more serious. And frightened. "Run!"

Tori reluctantly heads for the woods while Jade runs in the opposite direction, forcing Rose to choose. She pursues Jade.

* * *

The ground is so damp, Tori feels like she is going to sink into an subterranean cave never to be heard from again. It certainly makes her progress much slower. She hears a rustling and deftly hides behind a tree. It's just wide enough to contain her and she prays that she is on the right side to be invisible.

* * *

Jade's legs are fatigued from running with full force to shake off Rose. Confident that she had given her the slip, she makes her way back to the minivan to check on Mr. Vega. _He has a phone. Maybe he can get reception out here_. Jade looks around her surroundings until grabbing the left side of the car, furthest away from the driver. _Shit_. She slowly looks around the bend to the front. No one. She proceeds to the front and peeks to the driver side. Still nobody. Jade stands up to the window and reach inside for Mr. Vega's phone.

A bang on the roof makes her look up and spots Rose pointing her gun downward. She has her right in her sights. Jade wasn't going to show her any fear even though she was terrified. "Guess you decided to do this yourself. Leave the poltergeist at home."

Rose grimaces. "Who said anything about me coming alone?"

_Oh God, Tori_, Jade thought.

* * *

Tori's tree is like a security blanket. She refuses to move. She can just feel the danger out there, waiting for her. Tori shook her head. She couldn't leave Jade like that. She had to go back.

She steps out from the tree's shelter. Now Tori was out in the open but she tried to not care. Jade needed her. Tori begins to run but something grabs her leg. On her face, she shifts to her back to look up. Staring down at her is what looks like a thin man, only impossibly taller and with a face that looked almost animalistic. Tori's heart feels like it's about to collapse when the monster puts one of its "hands" on her chest.

* * *

Jade puts her hands up, seething with the millions of things she wishes to do to her. For half her life, she has been dreaming about getting her hands on her brother's killer and there she was in front of her. And she couldn't do a thing about it.

A moaning comes from Mr. Vega, monetarily confusing Rose. _This is my chance_. Jade grabs one of the fallen branches from the tree and hits Rose in the legs, sending her crash down onto the car. She dropped the gun. Jade dives for it but Rose jumps from the car, landing on Jade. The sudden pressure knocked the wind from her. They fight tooth and nail, tangled in a web of hatred and desire to see the other cold dead.

Rose manages to get away from Jade to stand and kicks her in the side. Harder. Harder. Jade could taste blood. Reaching in her jacket to rub where the blows came and to feel for broken bones, it was then Jade felt it. She manages a smile, her teeth framed with blood.

Before Rose could react to Jade turning over to attack, she saw a pair of silver scissors protruding from her shin. She cries in unendurable agony. Jade scrambles to her feet, trying to get past the pain. While this is going on, Rose bites her lip trying to pull the scissors from her flesh.

* * *

The cold ground embraced Tori the more the beast pressed down on her frail and fragile body. A little more force and it could crush her. The pale thing leans down to Tori's face. She could see rows and rows of teeth. The eyes were black pools with white pupils, not the other way around. Whatever characteristics that could make it more "human;" lips, a nose, ears all look like they have faded away. At first she deep down didn't believe Jade's story but now she was face to face with this apparition. She couldn't fathom where it came from, but it came abundantly clear where she was going.

Tori focused on the cold of the dirt and leaves. These were things that told her she was still alive. Any numbness would have been a sign of her doom. That spirit in the street, the boy at the restaurant. These thing flooded Tori's mind. They tried to warn her and now she was going to die.

A gunshot is heard in the distance.

Tori shook her head, believing her eyes were playing tricks on her. She swore she could see past the thing. It was a ghost but it always looked solid. This was the first time she could see "through" it. Tori's chest felt a great relief when the creature relinquished its grasp. It let out a scream reminiscent of nails on a chalkboard. If she weren't in shock she could have covered her ears.

And then, there were only trees.

Tori got up to her knees and slowly ascended to her feet. She does about 4 full circles until she is convinced that its gone. _What happened? No time to think, where's Jade? Is she alright?_

The red SUV shines through the drab greens and browns. Tori comes through the shrubbery and finds Jade standing over a body with a gun in her hands. The barrel just dangles, pointing to the ground. Tori gets a closer look: Rose Mailer was dead.

"Jade?"

She stands there in a trance, not paying Tori any mind. Her face is blank like that other day at the cliff.

"Jade!" Tori slaps her and shakes her. She has never had to act so violently toward her but it snapped her out of it.

Her voice was hoarse from screaming during the melee. "T-Tori?"

Tori embraces Jade who drops the gun and joins in the act. "It's okay. It's over."

"Did it come for you? That thing?"

"Yeah, Jade. I thought it was it for me. It must have gone away when you killed her."

"That fucking bitch," Jade grinding her teeth and having to endure the taste of blood.

Tori strokes her hair "I know, baby. I know." She lifts up her phone. "Hey, look. I have three bars. Let me call 911." Tori dials. "Yes, there was an accident and an attempted murder. Please send someone south of Route 12?"

Jade nods that she's correct.

"Yes, please hurry. We have somebody seriously hurt." Tori hangs up.

"Don't worry about your dad," Jade says. "I heard him back there. He's still alive."

"Good," Tori sniffs.

"Tori?"

"What?"

"Could you do something for me?"

"Anything."

"Could you hold me until they get here?"

"Of course I will, Jade."


	12. Chapter 12

The clouds parted and the sun shown bright for the first time since they've arrived. Tori actually had to crank out her sunglasses.

"Can you believe that sky?"

Jade stirs in her chair and wakes up. "What?"

Tori is semi-annoyed. "The sun, sleepy. It's out."

Jade twirls her finger in the air in a one-woman parade. "Don't care. Tired."

"Fine," Tori folding her arms. "You can sleep some more but I need to get out of here today."

"Me too," Mr. Vega sitting upright in his hospital bed.

Tori rushed over to him. "Whoa, dad, take it easy."

"Come on, Tori. I'm not _that_ old."

The doctor comes walking in with a chart. "Hey, good morning. How are we today?"

"Fine" Tori and her dad say simultaneously.

"Well, that's very good. I checked your cat scans last night and everything looks fine. You should be discharged this afternoon."

The doc pats Mr. Vega on the shoulder. "Your very fortunate for a man your age."

"What's wrong with you people!"

Tori erupts in laughter, the doctor having a hard time holding back a chuckle. Jade stays in her chair with her eyes closed but manages a short smile.

* * *

Tori goes back into the motel room where Jade is packing the last of her things. "Well, dad left."

"Did he say anything else?"

"Yeah," Tori stretching on the bed beside Jade suitcase. "That we call him as soon as we are back home."

Jade scrunches up her face. "Yes, Los Angeles. The home of fires, riots, earthquakes, smog and Hollywood producers."

"Sounds good right about now, huh?"

"Tori, stand up." She complies.

"What's up?"

Jade extends her hand. "I need to show you something."

Tori takes Jade's hand and finds herself being dragged outside. "Hey, Jade, slow down. Whoa."

After they reach the cliff where Jade confessed her demons to Tori days before.

"What are we doing here?" she queried.

Jade holds both of Tori's hands, clutching them close to her heart. "Tori, I haven't been completely honest to you about why I brought you here?"

"Jade, there is only so much ulterior motive that I can take in one week."

Jade mushes her mouth with her fingers. "Just shut up and listen. Remember when I told you that I wanted to create happy memories here?"

Tori nods. Jade realizes this is awkward and releases her face. Tori rubs her cheekbones.

"I almost," the words were difficult to come out. "I almost lost you. I kept thinking that no matter how bad it got that the fact I couldn't see your face again and hear your laugh was just worse than death."

Tori was so moved she didn't know what to say. And what came next made her almost faint.

"Tori," Jade kneels and pulls a jewelry box out of her jacket pocket. "Will you marry me? Or commit to me or whatever the hell you want to call. Just promise me that I don't have to live without you."

Tori takes the box from Jade's hands and opens it with a minor cracking sound. It was a beautiful but simple diamond on a white gold band. She holds the ring closer to her face to see it in greater relief.

"If you make fun of the size of the diamond, I _will_ pitch you over the side."

Tori slips it on her finger. "Now, how can a simple girl resist such a courtin'" sounding like a southern belle.

"I thought you didn't talk like that," Jade grinned.

Tori takes her hand and Jade stands up. "You're right. I talk more like this." Tori pressed her lips against Jade's parted mouth. Their respective electric charges seem to make the sun shine the brighter.

They release one another. "Wait," Tori thinks for a moment. "Does that mean I have to get you a ring, too."

"Damn straight. And it better be purty." Jade lets out a big smile with seductive eyes.

* * *

By sundown, the couple was on their way back home. After everything they've survived, they agreed to stay together until the end of the world.

"Jade."

"Yeah, Tori?"

"They're not going to believe this, are they? I mean Andre, Cat, Robbie…"

"I dunno. Stranger things have happened. We're only getting hitched."

Tori punches her fiancée in the shoulder. "Bitch."

"But you love me!"


End file.
